Press Release – Smokefreerockquest
The Opera House will be pumping on Friday 12 June as the top youth bands in Wellington and Hutt play off in the regional final of Smokefreerockquest 2013. The ten bands and two solo/duos to play off on 12 July were selected at heats held last month.

Smokefreerockquest founder and director Glenn Common says he’s expecting the usual wide age range in the audience at the regional final.

“As well as peer support, we see grandparents and parents coming along to SFRQ to see their kids excel on stage, under lights in a real theatre – it’s a professional set up and they respond to this opportunity,” he said. “Over the 25 years we’ve been running SFRQ it’s been a positive influence on thousands of young people’s lives and has created a way for kids to communicate with each other and with their parents and teachers.”

Those competing to join the ranks of Kiwi music success at the Wellington and Hutt regional final are:

They’re joined by the top two solo/duo acts for Wellington and Hutt judged at the heats last month:
Josh Dominikovich St Bernard’s College
Legalo (Legalo Tumama) Wellington East Girls’ College

The Wellington and Hutt final is at the Opera House on Friday 12 July, start time 7pm, tickets $20 from Ticketek or at the door.

At the Wellington and Hutt final, first and second place for the solo/duos will be announced, along with awards for the top three bands, the MAINZ Musicianship Award, Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship, Lowdown Best Song, the APRA Lyrics Award and the Skinny Mobile People’s Choice voted by text.

The top two bands and two solo/duos will send in their videos for selection as one of the six bands and two solo/duos to play off at the national final in Auckland on 28 September.

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and the solo/duo winners, that include musical gear to a total value of $13,000 from NZ Rockshops and their suppliers, inclusion on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, radio promotional support, and video play on youth music channel FOUR. There is also the MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship, the APRA Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award, the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award and the Skinny Mobile People’s Choice voted by text with the opportunity to open the SFRQ National final.

National Finalist selection process: Two bands from each of 23 regional finals send in their videos for selection as one of the six bands to play off in the national final. Judging is done from a pool of 50-60 bands that also includes Rockshop Second Chance, an opening for established bands (playing regular gigs) who don’t feel they played their best on the night. The top two solo/duos from each region go through the same process to be selected as one of the two solo/duos to play off for national honours.

More info at sfrq.co.nz or facebook.com/thesfrq

Smokefreerockquest – 25 years of music successSmokefreerockquest is New Zealand’s only nationwide, live, original music, youth event. Celebrating it’s silver anniversary this year, the series of over 40 events reaches audiences from Whangarei to Invercargill. Founded in 1989 by music teachers Glenn Common and Pete Rainey, who now run Rockquest Promotions full time out of Nelson, Smokefreerockquest has become a New Zealand institution.

Smokefreerockquest 2013, powered by Rockshop aims to motivate young musicians to prove their ability and realise the heights they can reach in their music careers, and to encourage their peers to support 100 percent original New Zealand music. For more information visit www.sfrq.co.nzHall of Fame

Smokefreerockquest plays a large part in helping Smoking Not Our Future get its key messages in front of a large audience of young people. Smokefree has been the naming rights sponsor of Smokefreerockquest for 23 of its 25 years and this longstanding partnership has been mutually beneficial. This year young people will be asked to join The Movement, which is a way for them to get more involved in helping New Zealand become smokefree by 2025. SFRQ events help students make protective connections to their schools, other students and communities and they also develop new skills and aspirations for their futures. For more information visit Facebook.com/notourfuture.